Art of petroleum distillation.



E. M. CLARK. ART OF PETROLEUM DISTILLATION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1914.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

SHEET 1.

I E. M. CLARK.

ART OF PETROLEUM DISTILLATION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1914.

1 19 04 I Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

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Toallwho'initmayconcern:

Be it known that l, Enema a citizen of the United 'States,.residing at Alton, in the county of adison and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Art of Petroleum Distillation, of which the following is a specification;

In theart of distilling residue of pc- 3 troleum distillation, such as gas oil or fuel oil, at atmospheric pressure, vaporization begins at a temperature of about 250 F., and all will distil over at a temperature up;

Ward of 650 F. In distilling this residue under a pressure upward of three atmospheres, producing a range of temperature of about 650 '15. to 850 F., according to the inventions of Letters Patent No. 1,049,667 granted January 7, 1913, to W. M. Burton,

a material quantity of fixed gas (amounting to about 2 per cent.- of the stock charged into the still) is roduced. In the ractica application of the process of the a oresaid patent, a battery of stills (usually ten or more) is used. Each still is provided with its own condenser and with further separate equipment involving a drum for receiving the products of the con-, denser-and separating the water and gas from the condensed distillate, and a meter formeasuring this distillate in its course to storage. Both the gas and distillate discharge lines are equipped with valves for controlling the rate of discharge. When a still in the battery is freshly charged and fired, the valves in these. discharge-lines are closed. As the firing of the still is continued d the temperature of its contents rises to about 250 F, water and petroleum no vapors distilover through the condenser into the receiving drum. Asthe distillation, proceeds small quantities ot uncondensed vapor or gas collect in the apparatus, and alter a material quantity of low as grade distillate (upward of about Sper cent. of the stock charged) has been produced, sumcient gas has collected in the apparatus to create a pressure of vapors, through the condenser. Continued firing of to the still raises further the temperature of the contents producing increasing forma tion of gas and building up of pressure in the apparatus. en the desired temperature (about 650 F.) and pressure (say about at, to lbs.) have been attained, the gas in.

the. apparatus is allowed to escape slowly through a valve in-its discharge line from the top of the receiving drum. Vaporswill then begin to come over-through the condenser, and high-grade liquefied distillates will be produced and be discharged from the receiving drum through the meter'into' stor age. Since this distillation process is nec essarily slow, the formation of gas in very gradual. Production of the high-grade distillate is dependent on constant pressure on .;the apparatus. A slight drop in pressure causesthe vapors to come over more freely and produccslow-grade distillate, and, conversely, even a slight increase in pressure entirely stops the flow of vapors with re- -to the contents of a still when freshly charged as to prevent distillation of such contents before the desired temperature has beenattained.

lln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically, by a plan view, a battery of stills and the equipment that belongs with them for. practising the invention in a preferred manner, and Fig. 2 is a view in sectional elevation, the section being taken on line 2, Fig. 1.

Four stills 1, denoted respectively A, B, C and'D, are indicated by dotted representation and will sudice for the purposes of the explanation hereinafter -given.- 'lhese stills are shown under a shed 2, between walls 3, and they communicate with a stack d, common to all, for carrying 0d products of comone of these furnaces being represented at 1 In Fig. 2. A vapor pipe 5 leads from the top of each still to the upper endof the water-cooled coil of a separate condenser 6, and from the bottom of each coil leads, through the inner wall 3 of a housing, of which the side wallsB are shown, a pipe l for conducting the products of the conbustion from the furnaces under'the stills, l

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taining similar shut-off valves 13 and 13 respectively. These header-pipes discharge to storagertanks (not shown). Each drum v discharges gas from its upper end through a pipe 191- having two valved branches 14 and- 14 leading, respectively, into headerpipes 16 and 17 which are closed at one end and contain similar shut-ofi' valves 18 and 18're'spectively, these pipe'swhich also lead to storage-tanks (not shown), being connectedby a -pipe'19 containing a pressure relief valve 20 of any ordinary or suitable e, V At 21 is shown, leading from the bottom of each drum to-a-gutter 22, a valved pipe for drawing ofi' the watery product of condensation of the vapors generated in the early part of the run.-

For the purpose of explanation, let ,it be assumed that three of the stills 1, namely those denoted as A, B, and C, are running at the cracking temperature of upward of 650 F. and under a pressure of about 70 to 75 lbs. of the gasesuon the contents of the stills. The valves in branches 14" connected with these three stills'are open and the gases are discharging into the header-pipe 17 and are being held back by the partly closed valve- 18 in the latter and the relief valve 20, to

produce the required pressure of. 70 to 75 lbs. in that header-pipe and throughout the apparatus of the running stills. The valves 1n the pipes 21 belonging to these three stills through the meters into the header-pipe 12 by the valve 13. in the hea are closed, since all watery vapor from them h'as'been distilled off before they reached the crackingtemperature. The valves in branches 10 are open and high-grade liquefied distillate is'being discharged from the bottoms of the three respective condensers and through its partly open valve 13" to storage. The rate of this dischar e is regulated er-pipe 12 to maintain the required pressure throughout the apparatus and discharge the distillate as it is prodilced. The threestills thus run- 'ning are all subject to the same pressure by reason of the valves in'branches 14'' leading to the header-pipe 17 and the valves in branches 10 leading to the header-pipe 12 being' opena These stills being connected by the header-pipes 17 and 12, give a suflicient volume 'of-gas and liquid distillate to make the rate of their discharge easily controllable bythe valves 18 and 13'. Let also be 'under a pressure of to assumed that the fourth still, denoted as D, has just been freshly, charged and fired. The valve in pipe .21 and the valves in branches 10?, 10 andl i", belonging to that still, are closed, and the corresponding valve in branch 14 is opened. The still D is thus closed to the 70 to lbs. pressure maincharge the water into the gutter 22. \Vhen the water has all been driven off, which is indicated by the temperature of the contents of the still D, the-oil portion thereof will begin to distil over at about 250 F. To stop this distillation and the resultant production of low-grade distillate the valve in the branch 14 belonging to the still D is closed and that in the corresponding branch 14 is gradually opened. This allows the gas from the three other stills, that are running 75 lbs. in the header-pipe 17, to exert its pressure back through the branch 14", belonging to still D, and the interposed equipment upon the contents of that still to stop the flow of vapors from the latter. In this way the pressure upon the contents of the freshly-charged still is raised to that upon the stills A,'B and C. The firing of still D is continued until the temperature of its contents is raised to upward of 650 F., when that still will begin to drive over its gases through the condenser, and drum and branch 14" belonging to it, into the header-pipe'17, and the produc- {)ion of high-grade liquefied distillate will egm. opened and the high-grade distillate produced discharges into the header-pipe 12 in connection with that produced from the other running stills. The four stills are now running in conjunction, all subject 'to the same control and the same pressure-infiw ences. The sudden generation of excessive or dangerous pressure in one still is prevented by the connection of all through the header-pipes and open valves. Let it further be presumed that a still, say that denoted A, has completed its run and is ready to be drawn ofl', cleaned and freshly charged. Its furnace-fire is drawn, and the valves in branches 10 and 14 are closed thereby shutting it oil? from the 70 to 75 lbs. pressure in the header-pipes 17 and 12 and from the influence of the stills B, C and D. The valve in the respective branch 14 is slowly opened to permit the gas to pass through theheader-pipe 16 to storage or to the fur- The valve in branch 10 is now.

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iaaaoaa na; and the valve in inn l opened, to permit low "ade or interior liguefied distillate produced er a; o header-pipe 11 to store. As soon the gas that was held under 70 to 75 lbs. ressure in the equiment belongto still t has been discharge a? the tar or residual con of the still are drawn od, audit is made ready to" clean and, receive a ilresh char.

As will be understood each still in a battery is handled in this way after conipletin its run.

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I realize that considerable variation is.

possible in the details of construction thus .specifical shown and described and it do not intent by illustrating a sing e, specific, or preferred emboent of my invention to be limitedthereto; my intention being, in I the following cla, to claim protection upon all the novelty there may in my inas the state of i it e plant comprisdistillation may be used'to exert, pressure on the material under,

distillation in an early stage of distillation.

2. A petroleum-distilling plant comprising. in combination, a ,battery of stills,- condensers into which the vapors from the stills discharge, afheader connectedwith the condensers to receive therefrom the condensed distillate, and a valved header connected with the condom to receive therefrom the uncondensed gaseous portions of said vapors and confine them under sure, and means whereb dnced' in a late star e illation may be used to exert pressure on the material under; distillation in an rly a oi llation.

3'. A trolegm-distil-lin ing, in combination a attery oi stills,

. condensers into ich the vapors from the stills discharge, d a unicating with the header-pipe 17, to pass throuh th stills,

such pressure pro- 1 such prure i,

plant comprisill the lower discharends oi the condensers,

and a-valved-hea er connected with the up-' at per parts of the drums to receive therefrom the uncondensed gaseous portions of said vapors and confine them under. pressure and means whereby such pressure produce in a late stage of distillation may used. th to exert pressure oaths-material under dis- "tillation in an earl stage of distillation.

4:. A etrole'umistl g lant comprising, in combination dl bat tery of stills, condensers into whih the vapors from the at stills discharge, drums communicatin with the lower'discharge-ends of the con ensers and provided with drain-pipes, a header 'connected'with the drums to receive therefrom the condensed distillate, and a valved to header connected with the condensers to re ceive therefrom the 'uncondensed gaseous portions cisaid va ors and ,confine them under pressure, an fmeans whereby such r re produced in a late etc of a: lation' may he used to exert pressureon'the material under distillation in an early *1 of distillation. I

"5. a petroleumedistilling plant comprising, in combination "a battery of stills, so condensers into which the vapors from, the stills discharge, drums communicating with the lower dischar-ends'oi the condensers,

a. pair of header, meter-containing pipes leading from the lower'ends' of the a a valved db and each having branches leading respectively to said headers, a pair of valve headers, and ipes' leading frothe upper. parts of the ruins and each havm va ved branches leading respectively to sai valved a headers, for the purpb se'set forth. i

6; A petroleum-distilling plant comprising, incombination a battery of stills, condensers into whic the vapors from the stills discharge,-'dru counicating with at the lower discharge-ends of the condensers,

a pair of valved headers, pi leadin from the aipper arts of the a 1 aldeac having valve branches connected .rectively with said headers, "and a pressure-"relief let"- valve in a pipeeconnection -ll id" 

